As leader of the FHWA, Administrator Bhatt oversees more than US$350bn in federal transportation infrastructure funding as part of President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law created the US$5bn National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program to build a national EV charging network along Alternative Fuel Corridors and includes US$150m in funding dedicated to boosting the reliability of the existing charging network. Additionally, US$2.5bn from the Charging and Fuelling Infrastructure (CFI) Program is advancing equity in charging infrastructure by deploying chargers in rural and disadvantaged communities.
In his keynote address on Friday, 22 March, Bhatt will update summit attendees on the priorities, progress, and outlook for the US EV infrastructure mission.
"As the world shifts towards a clean energy future, there has never been a more critical time to invest in a reliable, affordable, and equitable national EV charging network," said Administrator Bhatt. "With historic investments in EV charging infrastructure from the Biden-Harris Administration, the Federal Highway Administration is working closely with states and local governments to deploy 500,000 EV chargers by 2030, creating high-quality jobs, and making space for innovation in this industry."
Immediately following the keynote, Administrator Bhatt will join a panel discussion titled, "Tomorrow's Innovations That Are Tangible Today." The panel also includes the CEOs of major EV infrastructure companies NovaCharge and Beam as well as a senior consultant for the Central Florida Expressway Authority.
On Thursday, 21 March, the day before his keynote and panel, Administrator Bhatt will tour the EVCS expo floor, engage with industry leaders, and view examples of the latest developments in EV charging technology.
"Every single aspect of EV infrastructure in the US is being affected and transformed by the federal government's massive step into this industry," said Luke Vinci, president of EVCS Productions, the organiser of the event. "Considering his critical role in that investment, Administrator Bhatt is an invaluable addition to the EV Charging Summit."
The EV Charging Summit & Expo takes place 20-22 March 2024, at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Attendees can purchase passes at EVChargingSummit.com
